"Patti Mills last night with San Antonio......that guy is going to be a very good NBA PG" Really? His single doesn't-matter, no-pressure game for SA indicates that PM is going to be a very good NBA PG some day in the future? More so than the dozens of games that he played in a PDX uniform? Wasn't he posted up about every time down the court? And now a lot of you love "Dre? As someone wrote the other day, he's available; do you really want to sign him instead of Dragic? The attitude that PDX let the really good ones go is about as disingenuous as the overrating of players currently on the roster. We need to move on.

"It [this year's PDX team] was a high-priced and experienced roster" ... Seriously? No way that's true relative to the powers in the league. I liked the article, although I am surprised by the depth of your frustration, Jason. But just today on Bleacher Report I read the salaries of the top 25 wealthiest active players. Anthony and Stoudemire of NY both make over $16MM; all of the Big Three at Miami make around $18MM; Bryant, Bynum, and Gasol are at or over $20MM. Duncan is over $20MM. None of the top 25 play for PDX, so how do you justify describing PDX as high-priced compared to those teams?

In fact, PDX needs to become a high-priced and experienced team. PDX needs higher-priced players - who happen to be all-stars.

So the hot babe that turned you five times was not hot after all? Some of you must have still been drinking or hung over when you wrote your posts, but how in the hell is Steve Kerr more or less capable as a potential GM because he once declined the job? Is your IQ even a whole number?

And Maybe Kupchak is an excellent GM, but exactly what did Kupchak do for the Lakers? I believe that Kobe was brought in under a prior GM. Who wouldn't look good with Kobe at his prime running your team? So give Kupchak credit for Gasol and World Peace? Wow! But totally discount any positive moves that Kerr made. O.K. It's as logical as bashing him because he once declined the job.

Last read of a Canzano column for me. What a load of crap. Small market is one thing, but small minded is indefensible. Take a look around the league at all of the injured players. Several teams that the Blazers have recently faced have been described as "decimated" or a like term; Minnesota and Golden State to name two. Is the Blazer training and medical staff to be blamed for those injuries as well? Why not?
Put up or shut up: if you have a list of medical professionals who are willing to openly criticize the Blazer training staff and medical consultants without the benefit of talking to and examining the players involved or seeing the medical records of those players, let's see there names. Thought so. "Bye, John.

1. It seems that many of you don't know about or don't remember Blazer ownership before Paul Allen. In those days, all of the comments (from Oregonian writers, as there the internet wasn't available to everyone as it is now) was that PDX could not get free agents because it didn't have the money to compete with NY, etc. Say what you want about PA, but he's certainly changed that situation. I say be grateful that he is the owner.

2. If Kerr was a lousy GM, as many of you have stated, what does that say about Miller if Kerr is his top target? Not much. Personally, I would support Kerr, but I'm sure there are many qualified GM candidates (Geoff Petrie comes to mind). We just need to get one on board and let him pick a coach so we can move on.

I've been a consistent Felton critic, but I want to give credit where it is due. He had an excellent game last night from about every aspect. If he played like that on a consistent basis, I would definitely not let him go. Of course, based on the longer view of what he's done here, I would be reluctant to sign him to a long term deal, as the earlier play may be the true indicator of what he would give over time, and I believe that we all agree that has been ugly.

I even appreciated his post-game attitude during the interview by Mike Barrett. For the first time that I've seen, he seemed sincere in saying that he wants to win and that he appreciates us fans and the City. I thought that it was by far the best presentation that he's had here: none of the surliness that he's displayed previously. Go Raymond!

In my thinking the most important point is this: Felton didn't put himself back into the game. Shame on whomever did, Kaleb or a joint decision.

Felton starts the offense from virtually the same spot every time down the floor that is essentially too high in the center of the floor, usually with a sideways pass (that OKC easily and repeatedly timed for steals), and often with the same obvious objective of passing to LMA. Flynn does just the opposite: he moves to different spots to start the offense, he penetrates, he nearly always finds an open man. He seems really under-appreciated to me. In any event, while I agree that PDX should lose games (but make them entertaining, as they have been recently), Felton should simply sit, no matter what. And so what if he walks? The Miller deal is over. Playing Felton improves nothing.

We have a starting pg: Johnny Flynn. The guy was excellent last night. He just wasn't on the floor when he should have been. He's quick, moves the ball around rather than always starting the offense from the same spot, as Felton does, he penetrates, and he always seems to have a plan for where to go if he's cut off. At the very worst, he will be an outstanding back-up, but I believe he's the man.

I'm not sure how anyone can write or imply that Hickson is "ours." He's an unrestricted FA, right? He "belongs" to the highest bidder, or the bidder of his choosing. I love his game, but ain't counting that chicken until he's signed, if that happens. Who knows how he is in the locker room or off the court, but it'll be a damned shame if P fails to sign him, based on what he's shown while here.

Agree, playing Felton is nuts. I personally believe that N. Smith is not an NBA starting guard, and Flynn looked very promising, so I say give him all the time that he can stand. If the Blazers don't evaluate Flynn now in game conditions, when is that going to happen? Limiting his minutes and thus letting him walk, could be a major mistake.

I feel the same wasy about Kurt Thomas. He's done what has been asked and expected, but so what? He's out of here. Get him out of there and give those minutes to Hickson, who looks promising, or even Thabeet, who won't be an NBA player much longer. He looks absolutely lost.

Amen to all who are welcoming back our toughest-ever center. My only reservation is that when Joel left, I thought that he played very timidly, like he was afraid of re-injuring himself. Who could blame him? Of course the physical will address whether he is physically capable of playing as he formerly did, but that does not indicate what his attitude will be. I hope that he is able to play with his former confidence and abandon. If so, hallelujah! As for whom to waive, it's got to be Armon. Stock pile bigs that have potential when you can.

Do you know what a non-sequitur is, or do they just come naturally to you? What does Felton's pitiful play and Nate's coaching have to do with whether Oden or Durant was the clear choice? Not much, in spite of your defense of your inane position.

Tons of analysts touted Durant? And none touted Oden? Or maybe the analysts were evenly divided? That's the point: it was a hard choice, not the clear choice that you and others with perfect hindsight now see so clearly.

But with your hindsight, you no doubt predicted that I would write this comment. With your great talent to foresee, you must consider the stock market childs' play. You probably foresaw Microsoft way before Allen did. Are you - not that unknowing Paul Allen - like a billionaire, or is that insulting?

You have the best hindsight known to mankind. Right up to the day of the draft, all of the writers and commentators spoke of the challenge of choosing between Oden and Durant. Only one of them was 7', 300 pounds; the generational center. On the day of the draft all of the commentators said the same thing right up to Portland's pick. Only after that pick did Jay Bilas say that OKC had the easiest second round pick in the history of the league. And apparently all they had to do was call you! You apparently knew that because Oden had a wrist injury that his knees would fail, even though he reportedly passed numerous pre-draft physicals. You're amazing.
Have you thought of starting a draft consulting service? What am I thinking: of course you have!

No, because to play in the NBA you have to have the ability to do so. I would never believe that the most talented of PGs would sit on the bench because he wasn't "vested 5 years." That's bogus analysis. Have you watched Johnson in the minutes he's had? Typically, he dribbles into trouble then jumps to throw a pass to .....? He doesn't have it, maybe mentally. How many D League stints has he had? That's an indicator.

The bottom line is that Portland does not have a valid starting PG on its roster. Find one, and then things will be what we hoped they would be.

Your observations are valid, but think how the situation could have been/could be with a barely-good point guard. As it is, the others are having to swim upstream just to offset Felton's horrid play. No sugar coating it: at least this season, he's no good.

Nate was hard to watch last night: why not put in bench players for at least a few minutes to rest guys who were obviously out of gas. Elliott works hard and would benefit from minutes. Maybe Babin could hit a couple of shots if he took them. And maybe the starters (minus Felton) could have rallied at the end for a win. But we'll never know. This loss is on you, Nate.

The point guard bar has been set incredibly low here. I have no faith in Nolan based on his showing so far, and Armond seems to lack the BB IQ for a big-time PG. Crawford is definitely a keeper, but at his natural position. There's not an available point guard anywhere on the planet who can't help this team....Seriously? That is hard to believe. Is Chad scouring the earth? Let's hope so.